The Hang Test

Our goal is to be Fit Enough to live a vital and independent life. We’re optimizing for longevity, not for elite performance in a specific sport. Once we become fit enough we may choose to undertake more rigorous and targeted sport-specific training, having safely prepared our bodies for the added stress. But there is no requirement or expectation to go beyond this basic maintenance, and basic maintenance should prepare you to embrace an active and vital life in the years ahead.

In the last post I introduced the Plank Assessment for core strength. Things are going to get more challenging this week! Today’s post introduces the Hang Test, a measure of grip and upper body strength. I’m also including an exercise snack, a simple little exercise you can do in a few minutes several times a day.

The purpose of these assessments is to determine our current level of functional fitness. With the understanding that physical ability wanes as we get older, and often without our awareness, these tests show us how we measure up against accepted fitness benchmarks. I’m only including assessments backed by research for their proven value in measuring current capacity and predicting future vitality and, in some cases, life expectancy. Many of them double as exercises to improve identified areas of weakness and mark progress along the journey.

So, on to our assessment.

Assessment #3 - The Hang Test 

What is it, and what does it measure?
The Hang Test involves hanging from a bar for as long as you are able. It measures grip (hand) strength but also serves as a simple, straightforward way of measuring upper body strength and overall fitness that doesn’t require specialized techniques or expertise. Remember how you used to hang from monkey bars or a tree limb when you were a kid? It’s that simple.

There’s a strong association between grip strength and longevity. Multiple studies associate poor grip strength with higher rates of cancer, respiratory disease, cognitive impairment and all-cause mortality. Consequently, grip strength has been proposed as a reliable predictor of overall health, much the same as blood pressure!

Why is grip strength so important?
Lifting, holding and carrying are primal human movements. If we lose the ability to grip and carry, we lose our independence and vitality. Think about oldsters who can’t twist open a jar lid, turn the knob on a door, or pick up and carry a suitcase or heavy grocery bag. You need strong hands to grip a tennis racket or golf club, pull in a sail, pull yourself up, or stabilize yourself in a fall by grabbing onto something. Strong hands require strength all the way up the chain, from forearms to shoulders to the back.

Here’s how to do the Hang Test
I want you to be careful with this one. Don’t go to the playground and launch yourself off the ladder onto the monkey bars! You will put undue strain on your shoulders and risk injury. You're a long way from 3rd-grade playground recess.

1. Preparation: Find a sturdy bar that can support your weight. A home pull-up bar is ideal. If you are deconditioned, use a lower bar that allows you to have your feet on the ground for support - see photos, below. You can also place a stool or box under a higher bar as a base from which you step off. Most playgrounds and all gyms will have pull-up bars.

2. Safety First: If you have hand, wrist, or shoulder injuries, check with your doctor or physical therapist before attempting this test. Start gingerly and get a feel for the movement if you're new to this. If you are very deconditioned, do not go directly to a full hang to avoid straining shoulders or wrists.

3. Performing the Hang:

   • Grip the bar with both hands, shoulder width apart or slightly wider, palms facing away from you.

   • Engage your core and hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your feet off the ground. Don’t arch your back. Relax your shoulders and neck, breathe, look straight ahead, and just hang. Avoid swinging or bouncing. If you are using a lower bar, you can bend your knees to lift your feet off the ground as you begin the assessment.

   • Hold this position for as long as you can. The goal is to hang for a sustained period, which requires strength in the hands, forearms, core, shoulders, back, and triceps.

4. Measuring Your Time: Use a stopwatch or timer to record how long you can hang. This is your assessment result.

Interpreting your results
The times below are guidelines. Lots of factors can impact your score, such as body composition and shoulder mobility.

For the hard-core folks, two minutes is considered an elite goal for a 40-year-old male. For women, 90 seconds is the elite goal. Reduce these times by 10 seconds for every decade over forty.

Not everyone needs or wants to be in the elite range. I am suggesting one minute as the Basic Maintenance Target. Where you go from there will depend on your goals for future physical endeavors. More musculoskeletal reserves are always better from a health perspective. But time and interest play a part. If you want the option of engaging in more demanding activities in your 70's and 80's, then building a reserve now is a good idea!

How to progress
As you get stronger, you can increase the duration of your hang and try hanging without support. Start with 10 or 20 seconds and build up from there. If you install a bar at home you can practice several times a day. At the gym, intersperse hangs between other exercises. Hanging from a bar is also the first step for doing pull-ups, which are a core functional exercise we will explore in due course.

Installing a bar at home is a great way to get stronger, and you will get stronger if you practice! You might already have one in a closet somewhere gathering dust! Here’s a link to a simple bar for sale on Amazon. The testers over at Wirecutter like this one, which is more expensive and may be more than you need. If you don’t have a bar at home or at the gym, google “playgrounds with pull-up bars.”

Another great way to train for grip strength is by performing a Farmer’s Carry. Essentially, lifting and carrying a heavy object to build endurance and strength in all of the muscle groups tested by the Hang. I will cover this in more detail in subsequent posts. As you can see from the video, below, it doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective. Think of carrying two heavy suitcases or bags of groceries at your sides. As always, start light and slow and build from there.

Why can’t I just squeeze a tennis ball or one of those grip exercisers?
You can do that and it will help, but you won’t be engaging and strengthening the chain of muscles and connective tissue that contribute to a strong grip. A strong grip doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s the expression of strength in your arms and upper body.

A few final thoughts
There are multiple nuances to the Hang Test, but they aren’t critical for our purposes here. I could write a lot more about the exercise and how to train for improvement, and I will in the future, but I don’t want to overstay my time with you!

Please remember:
- Assessments provide guidance, not absolute truths. They objectively measure important elements of functional fitness and provide a way to mark progress, but they aren’t perfect. They help us to know if we are Fit Enough. Use common sense in evaluating your score and the exercise.
- Many factors can influence results. Sensitive skin on your palms might inhibit your ability to grip a bar. A fat bar will be harder to grip than a thinner one. Tight shoulders will inhibit performance. Chronic injuries or advanced age will have an impact. I don’t expect my dad to do a one-minute bar hang at 96! But he works out twice a week with his trainer and does floor exercises every day.

Exercise Snack

As promised, here’s an exercise snack. These short bouts of exercise are being studied for their effectiveness and high adherence rates among participants. I like them as a simple way to insert movement into the day.

Calf Raises
Strong calves contribute to balance and reduce the risk of injuries like ankle sprains, calf strains, and Achilles tendonitis. They improve movement and agility.

Here’s a simple way to incorporate a lower leg strength exercise into your day. Pick a few times during the day when you commit to do a set of calf raises. It will take one minute of your time! Piggyback this exercise snack onto some other mundane task you do regularly - morning and night when you brush your teeth, when you make your coffee, or talking on the phone, or while you wait in line at the checkout counter.

How to perform calf raises
A couple of times a day, do ten calf raises, and hold your position at the top of the last raise for ten seconds. That’s it! You can do them barefoot or with shoes.

1. Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart, facing forward, flat on the floor.

2.  Slowly lift straight up onto tiptoes, as high as you can, pause and slowly lower down again so your feet are flat on the floor. Place your hand lightly on a counter or wall to provide balance if you feel wobbly. Emphasis on SLOW. Time under tension builds strength. Don’t rush through the movement!

3. Repeat for 10 repetitions, holding at the top position on the last repetition for 10 seconds. Then lower down slowly to the starting position.

4. Repeat 2-3 times a day. You can do a second set of 10 if you want to progress the exercise but start with one set of 10 initially.

That’s all for now. If you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask! 😊

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I’m George Harrop, founder of SecondFifty — an online resource for people who want to prioritize their health and wellbeing by taking a common-sense approach to nutrition and fitness.